Perfect Like Potter
by rekahneko
Summary: Why is everyone always complaining to their potions professor? Poor Snape. oneshot, fluff, HPDM


Warnings: Slash, HPDM

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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**Perfect Like Potter**

**By Rekahneko**

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"It's just not fair, Uncle Sev!"

"It is Professor Snape to you while we are at Hogwart's, Draco. And stop whining."

"But really," the blond continued, unbothered by his professor's request. "He is always so perfect at everything!"

"Hmm," Snape mumbled, concentrating on mixing several volatile ingredients together.

"It would be bad enough if he were just the savior of the wizarding world, but no. I mean, he never makes a wrong move on a broom, always wins duels, and of course he is too good looking." There was a small pause as Draco considered what he had just said. "That's what all the girls always say anyhow," he added, a bit belatedly.

"Right." Snape rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. "Draco, fetch me some asphodel from the ingredients closet."

The blond walked away, muttering, "Stupid Perfect Potter. Annoying green eyes and…" Draco's words trailed off as he diligently searched the shelves.

Draco heard the door to the potions lab. He was about to peer around to see who it was when Snape said, rather more loudly than he might have if there hadn't been someone in his ingredients closet, "Potter. What brings you here when you must have known I was going to be alone?" Draco could hear the sneer in his words.

"I need some advice, Professor Snape." The voice of Harry Potter was smooth and, though it was quiet, it seemed to carry a secret strength with it somehow. Draco decided to take his godfather's unsubtle hint and stay hidden in the closet and listen. The Slytherin in him delighted at the thought of possibly becoming privy to information about his rival. Another part of him was delighted in a completely different way, enjoying the sound of the softly lilting voice a bit too much perhaps.

Snape interrupted his thoughts before they turned in a direction he would rather not contemplate at the moment. "What in Merlin's name would make you believe I would be willing to give you any kind of advice? I barely tolerate your presence at all. Why not ask one of your fan club members? I am sure they will be delighted to fill your head with all kinds of idiocy." His voice dripped with sarcasm, each word carefully designed to wound or goad toward anger.

"But Professor," Draco could hear the smile in Harry's voice. "If I asked someone else, I would miss out on a grand opportunity to irritate you!"

"Remind me when you stopped being intimidated by me Mr. Potter." Snape's voice had lost some of its heat.

"You really don't want to know what I Saw to make me change my attitude. Of all people, you would know best what kind of information I sometimes have access to." Harry's voice now held the tint of the darkness and half-remembered pain that endlessly fascinated Draco.

There was a pause as Snape seemed to consider Harry's words. Or perhaps he was ignoring the boy. It was hard to tell without looking and the conversation was much too interesting to interrupt at the moment.

"What is it that you wanted, Potter," Snape finally replied.

"Well, I need an honest opinion and I think that you are just the one to give it to me." At this, Snape snorted. "You certainly have never had a problem with honest opinions about me before." Harry's voice once again carried the light, teasing tone it had before.

"Fine, let's get this over with."

"I need to know, straight out, if I will ever be good at potions. Specifically, I want to know if I am an average potions student because I haven't studied hard enough or learned the right things yet, and there is still hope, or if it is one of those talents you just have to be born with like Malfoy."

Both of Draco's brows went up at the sound of his name in his adversary's mouth.

"Or maybe it's because you just like screwing with my grades." Harry laughed.

"But really, is potions talent a pureblood thing like finding the exact sneer for every occasion, tolerating Celestina Warbeck's voice, or having perfect hair all the time? Perhaps it's like being able to swoop in and out of a room in a grand manner without tripping on your robes. Merlin knows I have none of those talents either. Maybe they all go together," he mused.

There was a snort from the potions master. Draco wasn't sure if it was more of the 'I am busy working, but really I am listening' snort, the 'one more comment and you lose house points' snort, or something more rare, the 'I am surprisingly amused' snort.

"I mean, Malfoy has no problem with any of the assignments and always makes perfect potions even when he isn't paying any attention. I know because I have seen him chat with friends, finish his Charms assignment, sneak extra ingredients into Ron's cauldron, and hex me under the table, all while making a very complex potion. And of course it was flawless. Okay, I think I'm ranting. Anyhow, you get the idea." Harry cleared his throat, obviously a bit embarrassed to have gotten so off topic.

Draco heard a short pause. "Don't look at me like that Professor. I really want to know! I need to find out if it is a possibility or not. I don't expect to be perfect like Malfoy or anything, I just need to know if I should give up right now or work harder."

Professor Snape sighed his longest, most drawn-out, world-weary sigh (perfected after years of teaching teenagers) and finally replied, "Well I suppose you aren't as hopeless as you could be. Granted, you are correct in your assumption that you will never have the makings of a true potions master like Mr. Malfoy will, but you can certainly be quite good. Assuming you actually bother to put some effort into the class this year."

"Really?" Harry's voice was hopeful.

"I wouldn't have bothered telling you if I didn't mean it. Now you are just wasting my time."

"Almost as good as Malfoy though? Or at least to a point where I don't look so stupid in front of him?"

"Since when are so worried about what Mr. Malfoy thinks of your potions skills?" Snape's voice had a slightly amused inflection to it.

"Right. Umm…" Harry cleared his throat, obviously trying to cover up embarrassment.

He continued in a rather hurried tone. "Thanks for the advice, Professor. I really do appreciate it. See ya!"

Draco thought he heard Snape mumble something along the lines of, "Bloody Gryffindors" as the sound of the potions lab door echoed across the room.

Draco came out from his hiding spot smiling rather fiendishly. "'Perfect like Malfoy,' eh? You know, I think I feel much better after our little chat, Uncle Sev."


End file.
